# 1999 NFL expansion draft

The Cleveland Browns had spent three years with its operations suspended after Art Modell had relocated the Browns' organization and players to Baltimore, Maryland to form the Baltimore Ravens at the end of the 1995 NFL season. Upon returning to the league, in order to become competitive with existing teams, the Browns were awarded the first pick in the 1999 NFL draft, and the league gave the Browns the opportunity to select current players from the other teams. That selection was provided by the 1999 National Football League expansion draft, held on February 9, 1999. 150 players were left unprotected by their teams for the Browns to draft.

## Format

Each of the 30 existing teams were required to expose five players to the draft. Cleveland was allowed to select between 30 and 42 players. No more than two players could be drafted from a single team; after drafting one player from a team, that team had the option to remove up to two of the remaining four players from the draft pool.

## Reception

Three years later The New York Times said that the Houston Texans would use the 1999 draft as an example of what not to do in the 2002 NFL expansion draft: "The Browns went for the usual mix of promising young players and veterans who were not over the hill. Apparently, Cleveland did not draft much of either. Only three of the 37 players the Browns took are still with the team and they all play on special teams." The team had the opportunity to draft quarterback Kurt Warner, that 1999 season's eventual NFL MVP and Super Bowl champion, but declined to do so. However, prior to the 1999 season Warner had not yet started an NFL game and only had four completions in 11 passing attempts in the league.

## Player selections

| Pick | Player | Position | Original NFL team |
| 1 | Jim Pyne | C | Detroit Lions |
| 2 | Hurvin McCormack | DE | Dallas Cowboys |
| 3 | Scott Rehberg | OT | New England Patriots |
| 4 | Damon Gibson | WR | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 5 | Steve Gordon | C | San Francisco 49ers |
| 6 | Tarek Saleh | LB | Carolina Panthers |
| 7 | Jeff Buckey | G | Miami Dolphins |
| 8 | Jason Kyle | LS | Seattle Seahawks |
| 9 | Rod Manuel | DE | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 10 | Lenoy Jones | LB | Tennessee Titans |
| 11 | Tim McTyer | CB | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 12 | Elijah Alexander | LB | Indianapolis Colts |
| 13 | Pete Swanson | OT | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 14 | Gerome Williams | S | San Diego Chargers |
| 15 | Marlon Forbes | S | Chicago Bears |
| 16 | Justin Armour | WR | Denver Broncos |
| 17 | Paul Wiggins | OT | Washington Redskins |
| 18 | Duane Butler | S | Minnesota Vikings |
| 19 | Fred Brock | WR | Arizona Cardinals |
| 20 | Kory Blackwell | CB | New York Giants |
| 21 | Kevin Devine | CB | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| 22 | Raymond Jackson | CB | Buffalo Bills |
| 23 | Jim Bundren | G | New York Jets |
| 24 | Ben Cavil | G | Baltimore Ravens |
| 25 | Michael Blair | RB | Green Bay Packers |
| 26 | Antonio Anderson | DT | Dallas Cowboys |
| 27 | Orlando Bobo | G | Minnesota Vikings |
| 28 | James Williams | LB | San Francisco 49ers |
| 29 | Scott Milanovich | QB | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 30 | Eric Stokes | S | Seattle Seahawks |
| 31 | Ronald Moore | RB | Miami Dolphins |
| 32 | Clarence Williams | RB | Buffalo Bills |
| 33 | Freddie Solomon | WR | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 34 | Brandon Sanders | S | New York Giants |
| 35 | Mike Thompson | NT | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 36 | Jerris McPhail | RB | Detroit Lions |
| 37 | Antonio Langham | CB | San Francisco 49ers |